Paediatrics / Heel Pain – Sever’s

Heel pain is a common complaint for children in Podiatry and is often a response from the body that there’s something wrong in that area.

WHY DOES MY CHILD HAVE HEEL PAIN?
- Heel pain is a common complaint for children in Podiatry
- Often a response from the body that there’s something wrong in that area
- Heel pain often occurs after an acute injury or early in an illness to act as a protective response so the body knows something is not quite right in that area
- It can also be due to a condition known as Sever’s disease
WHAT IS SEVER’S DISEASE?
- A growing condition that typically affects children aged 8-14
- Sever’s often develops during a child’s ‘growth spurt’ as the bones are growing faster than the muscles and tendons – resulting in the muscles and tendons becoming tight
- The muscle strain on the growth plate of the heel bone injures the area, causing pain
- Commonly this will occur at the start of a sporting season due to the large increase in weight-bearing activity
HOW WILL A PODIATRIST MANAGE HEEL PAIN/SEVER’S DISEASE?
- A podiatrist will do a full assessment of your child’s lower limb function and determine the cause of pain
- Treatment will be aimed at reducing your child’s pain and managing the condition until the muscles and tendons ‘catch up’ to the bone growth and symptoms are ceased. This may involve:
  - Activity modification
  - Footwear education
  - Heel raises
  - Stretching exercise program
  - Strengthening exercise program
  - Strapping
  - Orthotics – depending on foot function and lower leg biomechanics

WHY DOES MY CHILD HAVE HEEL PAIN?
- Heel pain is a common complaint for children in Podiatry
- Often a response from the body that there’s something wrong in that area
- Heel pain often occurs after an acute injury or early in an illness to act as a protective response so the body knows something is not quite right in that area
- It can also be due to a condition known as Sever’s disease
WHAT IS SEVER’S DISEASE?
- A growing condition that typically affects children aged 8-14
- Sever’s often develops during a child’s ‘growth spurt’ as the bones are growing faster than the muscles and tendons – resulting in the muscles and tendons becoming tight
- The muscle strain on the growth plate of the heel bone injures the area, causing pain
- Commonly this will occur at the start of a sporting season due to the large increase in weight-bearing activity
HOW WILL A PODIATRIST MANAGE HEEL PAIN/SEVER’S DISEASE?
- A podiatrist will do a full assessment of your child’s lower limb function and determine the cause of pain
- Treatment will be aimed at reducing your child’s pain and managing the condition until the muscles and tendons ‘catch up’ to the bone growth and symptoms are ceased. This may involve:
  - Activity modification
  - Footwear education
  - Heel raises
  - Stretching exercise program
  - Strengthening exercise program
  - Strapping
  - Orthotics – depending on foot function and lower leg biomechanics

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